So, how's the real estate market? Realtors hear that question at least twice a day. For the past five years, from early 2008 through the end of 2012, the answer was generally depressing. The economy went from great to "oh my gosh" and the realty bubble popped big-time.

Now, things are better. Much better. 2013 was the best year since 2007 with more than 7,289 homes sold. In 2007 a record 7,772 homes were sold through the Western North Carolina Regional MLS system. The average price back then, however, was $278,799 and a sales volume of $2.166 billion was recorded.

So are we back to 2007 levels? Not by a long shot. The average sales price for a house throughout the area in 2013 was $229,986, an increase of just 4% for the year. MLS dollar volume will be just over $1.676 billion when all the last-day transactions are recorded.

Still, compared to 2012 and the other bust years, buyers have come back into the market and sales are up significantly. In 2012 the entire MLS sold only 6,127 units at an average price of $221,579. The two prior years, 2010 and 2011, sales didn't even reach the 5,000 unit mark. But comparing 2013 to 2012 shows unit sales increased 19%.

Buyer's markets exist whenever the available inventory in any price range exceeds a six month supply. Below that level it is a seller's market. A scarcity of inventory means that new listings that are nice homes, well priced and well maintained will receive offers immediately upon listing. Sometimes there will be multiple offers and sometimes the offers will be higher than the MLS price.

We saw some of that in 2013 in certain price ranges and, in particular, in the Asheville market. MLS data shows we have entered 2014 with just a 7.8 month supply of homes throughout the region in every price range up to $200,000. In Asheville there is just a 3.8 month supply between $50,000 and $200,000.

Prices in our region increased a modest average of 4% in 2013, following on the heels a very slight increase in 2012. Buncombe and Henderson counties both saw 5% increases in 2013. Buncombe's sales volume, however, shot up 23%. At the opposite end of the spectrum Transylvania County saw an 8% reduction in the average price, from $255,048 in 2012 to $233,886 last year. Transylvania also recorded just a 6% increase in unit sales. The mitigating factor in this regard is that Transylvania is a relatively small market with just 485 homes being sold vs. more than 3,400 in Buncombe. That also helps explain why the Brevard Board of Realtors late in the year decided to merge into the much larger Asheville Board. With low sales and just 154 members, Brevard was on the verge of becoming unviable as a separate business entity. It made good business sense for them to find a merger partner.

Transportation and the inconvenience of commuting to and from Asheville/Buncombe County no doubt helps justify the $26,000 price differential buyers are willing to pay in the region's largest city. Also, no other community can match Asheville's variety of neighborhoods, wealth of cultural resources and vibrant downtown. Those factors draw people whether they're working or retiring.

Asheville, as always in Western North Carolina, is at the center of it all. It is the junction point of two major Interstate highways, the location of the regional airport and the undisputed economic capital of the region. The city's River Arts District is a significant attraction for tourists who have already seen the Biltmore Estate and are looking for something unique to take home. Of course, that could be one of more than 100 local craft beer offerings; but since there are too many brews and not enough time, we modestly suggest they just buy a house and stay

Another key factor in pricing is the size of the house. All things are not equal. Asheville has more commerce and industry, by far, than any other city or town in the area. This means more jobs, more younger people, more young families, more children, and a need for larger houses.

Buncombe's profusion of larger homes, old and new, generally means working families who can afford larger homes and want to be close to their work. Last year, 19% of all sales in Buncombe County were homes with four or more bedrooms.

The other communities each have their own charm and attractiveness. Haywood County has become a retirement community with great mountain vistas and, in Waynesville, a unique downtown that is an absolute magnet for folks escaping to their mountain dreams. The mid-summer Folkmoot Festival set for July 18 - 27 in 2014 is an international music festival featuring folk musicians and dancers from around the world performing in the traditions of their native lands.

About five weeks later each year, Hendersonville puts on the region's longest-running street festival when the four day Apple Festival takes over downtown on the Labor Day weekend. It's a family friendly, alcohol-free celebration of just about everything it means to be American and working.

Each local mountain community has its own charm and traditions. All offer mountain environments for those seeking escape from the hustle and bustle of lives lived elsewhere. Hendersonville's serpentine Main Street is a unique, pedestrian-friendly five block area that offers everything from crafts to Irish pubs, jewelry to unique hiking boots and even a very knowledgeable music store where you can learn to play a guitar or a violin

Buncombe County Realtors sold nearly twice as many houses as did their counterparts in Henderson County and nearly half of all sales within the Western Regional Multiple Listing Service were in Buncombe. But Henderson County Realtors were the most productive with an average of 3.87 sales per member vs. 2.86 in Buncombe.

Now, having started this unnecessary controversy, let us hasten to add that sales per Realtor are misleading because Realtor members sometimes maintain their licenses and membership even though they are not actively working in the business. Also, as the market has improved many new, young Realtors have gotten their real estate licenses and joined realty firms in the younger areas of the region, specifically Asheville. It takes time for a new person to find their way and get established. And while Hendersonville Realtors do score high on this chart, the same chart shows that in the past year Asheville's Realtors increased their business five percentage points more than their Hendersonville compatriots.

Finally, there is the entire issue of the housing slump. Are we done with it? Will the economy continue its modest recovery? Will mortgage money and interest rates continue to be favorable enough for non-cash buyers to continue buying homes in our area?

That's a big unknown. Our modest 4% price recovery is less than half the national average of 10.9% according to Clear Capital, a national provider of real estate data. Western North Carolina is a trailer, not a leader. With a high percentage of retirees and second-home buyers, we trail national trends. If the economy is good in New York and Florida, it is probable that many residents of those areas will have the resources to buy homes here. The old saying goes that when the leading markets get a sniffle, Western North Carolina catches pneumonia.

I am loathe to predict what will happen in 2014. While my Realtor side wants to be as Pollyannaish as possible, my dark side has a hidden economic pessimism. Still, the facts on the ground are that markets are doing well elsewhere, the economy is growing and we have many reasons to be optimistic.

So I'll go with that, borrowing lines from Jackie Gleason along the way. First, "How sweet it is" after these long, dismal years.

Testimonials

"Justin Purnell was very attentive to my needs. He made sure all my questions were answered. If I wasn't satisfied with something...he did all that was in his power to make me at ease. He was wonderful to work with!" ~ Eunice R.

"Luiz is an incredible realtor and a "calm ship in the storm", no matter the obstacle. He guided us patiently, and decisively throughout our house sale. He is truly a professional and a friend! Thanks Luiz!"

"Beth did a great job of representing my wife and I both in the sale of our current home and in the purchase of our new home. Beth went above and beyond in offering her assistance with any questions that we encountered and also for the buyers and their agent that purchased our home. Beth was willing to meet us to show properties on a schedule that worked well with ours. She was always willing to answer any phone calls or text messages when the need arose. I would highly recommend Beth to anyone looking to either buy or sell a [...]

"Luiz Leonetti was helpful and professional during the whole process. We're truly satisfied!" ~ Fabiana R.

"Bethany Acker did a fantastic job finding us the mountain home that was perfect for us!!! She was very knowledgeable [...]

"After a negative experience with another local relator, a friend who bought her home with Robbie recommended Robbie to us and we are so glad we followed her advice! Robbie was very knowledgeable, attentive to details, and guided us through every step. He has a keen eye for spotting potential issues with homes and he has a wealth of knowledge about the market, home construction, and the offer and loan process. He is easy going and has a professional, friendly personality. As first time home buyers, no question we asked was ever "dumb" and he willingly explained information without [...]

"Mike and his team rocks! this was a tough property to sell, but we got it done at a reasonable price."

~ Jeffrey

"Selling our Russell Street home is the fifth real estate transaction for which my husband and I have used Luiz Leonetti. There is a reason that we keep returning. Not only is Luiz a great realtor, he is an all around stand up guy. Transaction after transaction, Luiz has been able to help us buy and sell in record time and at the right price. He is a very dedicated realtor, patient, always in a great mood, honest, and he always plays an integral role in helping us make our final decisions. I would recommend Luiz to anyone interested in buying or selling property. We will certainly continue [...]

"My agent Jeff Jelinek went above and beyond every thing a realtor could possibly do to help us find a new home. I will always remember how he went through several homes, tirelessly and with out any pressure to sell. His capabilities and resolve to only find us a home for the reason we needed one. Many thanks Jeff." ~ John B.

"Competent, honest, great communicator! Everything we could ask for in a Realtor." ~Chris and Kelly

"Jody was friendly, efficient and LISTENED to us and our needs. I would recommend him to friends and family." ~Dennis and Cathy

"When the going got tough Sean got tougher. Our road to find a house was long and complicated, but Sean stuck with us and made sure that we ended up with great home that fit our needs and budget. In fact our home exceeds our expectations. We will recommend Sean to anyone we know looking for a house. And if we ever decide to sell Sean will once again be our agent."

"Lorraine was extremely friendly and helpful throughout our buying process! She took the time to help us find the right location and was very detailed in ever aspect from initial contract to final closing. Highly recommend."

" Leah's awesome! My wife and I definitely lucked out! Leah was the gift. The house we bought was just a constellation prize."

"Dana has always been supportive and helpful - and more importantly never hesitates to tell us when we are going in the wrong direction. She helped us find the PERFECT forever home!"

"Luiz showed professionalism, attentiveness, and care throughout the process. I was thrilled with the experience and will highly recommend him."

"Once again, Mike Miller was more than patient and thorough from beginning to end on this property. I recommend him whenever I get the chance!!" ~ Katie K.

"Jody is the best. I've never dealt with a realtor as knowledgeable, helpful, patient, down-to-earth, perceptive and smart. We came to Jody with some particularly challenging needs, and he remai ned very patient throughout. I got the impression that his top priority was to be genuinely helpful and not just to make a quick sale. We looked at quite a few places together before finally settling on one and he was always great to work with. He knows a lot about houses and building materials and picked up on details I never would have noticed. He also knows pricing and negotiating. The place [...]

"Sean was great. It was our first time selling a home and he guided us through the entire process wonderfully. The next time we need a realtor we’re definitely calling Sean!"

"My husband and I are in the process of relocating to Asheville to be near relatives. Lorraine could not have been the more perfect agent to help us with this relocation. She is FULL of energy, knows the region and is one of the friendliest and most flexible agents that you could meet! We started looking at homes, but switched to properties, which had Lorraine adjusting quickly! She didn't skip a beat, and we found a lovely property near town. I will never forget watching Lorraine hiking the property, describing its potential! Lorraine was savvy in negotiations, with her strong [...]

"Justin Purnell handled our real estate needs with the utmost integrity and knowledge. The result is we have a beautiful home in Hendersonville. His ability to show property, negotiate for us, and taking the time needed to accomplish our goals was exceptional. My husband and I believe he has a great real estate career going and in the future. We look to have a great friendship as he and his family have become very special to us. We sincerely submit this as testimony to his hard work ethic and integrity." ~ Kathleen M.

"Jody did an excellent job helping me find and buy my first home. He took care of everything for me and made the process of buying a house painless. I kept wondering when I was going to have t o start stressing out and it never happened! He is a true professional at what he does - taking care of his client! Go buy a house and use Jody." ~Cody K.

"Jody is fun, professional, and fired-up about being an awesome real estate broker in Asheville. He put up with our need to micromanage alot of the process - good humored throughout the whole ex perience. We will continue to turn to Jody for all our future real estate transactions." ~anonymous

"Several months ago, I decided I had procrastinated long enough ( about 8 yrs) and needed to sell our home of 30 years. It was an 80's house we had built and raised our two daughters - the only home they had known. I talked with a realtor and was was discouraged our home was not worth what I had hoped. My daughters wanted me to get a second opinion and my son-in- law asked if I would be willing to talk to someone he knew- "the nicest guy he'd ever met"
So I called Chris Tuten and we scheduled an appointment for him to look at the house. Two days later he arrived [...]

"Mike served as our agent for both the sale of our home in Madison County and the purchase of our home in East Asheville. His decades of experience in this market and his strong network of relationships within the real estate business served us well on both the buyer and seller sides. Whenever we hit a bump in the road, he was there to help us work through it with knowledge and good humor. He's extremely fair and even handed and was as pleasant and helpful on the 40th or 50th home we looked at as he was on the very first. He gets my heartiest recommendation."

"Lorraine is an absolute treasure. My husband and I first contacted her about finding us a home to retire to in Asheville about 8 months prior to our move. We didn't know what part of town we wanted to live in or what type of home we wanted to buy. At that time we truly were "just looking", but she treated us like the most important clients she ever had. Lorraine was a patient friend, adviser, and occasional marriage counselor. Over time she nudged, suggested and calmly redirected us to a happier ending than we ever hoped for. We closed on our new home a few days [...]

"Dear Jessi & Luiz,
Mountains of thanks! I am so thankful to have you as an agent.I couldn't have done it without you! Your expert advice and quick response to all of my questions were greatly appreciated. I couldn't be more pleased with the end result!! It was a real delight to work with you both. I will be happy to recommend you to anyone seeking a great real estate agent." ~ Sandra

"It was a pleasure to work with Leah and the Miller team! Leah is a very reliable and thoughtful person who put in a lot of efforts in guiding me through the process of finding the perfect home for m e. She was always super fast in answering and providing well-grounded information. I can highly recommend her."

"I had the pleasure of working with Aviva looking for an investment property in Asheville. She was awesome to work with. She is sharp, amusing, hard-working, knowledgeable, shows great attention to detail and is an outstanding negotiator. She has my highest recommendation." ~ JA

"We have known Ben (Mansell) for a long time; he sold us the house we live in 10 years ago. He is patient, professional and knowledgable. He works so well with all types of folks and situations, and has amazing industry knowledge."

"What a great land search-to-purchase experience with Kat. Couldn't have been better, easier or more fun! We are so grateful for a delightful process and the land of our dreams!"

"Jody has helped us to both buy and sell a house in Asheville. He is great to work with and extremely knowledgeable. Jody was patient with us as we searched several parts of Asheville for the ri ght home. He knows and understands the market and was incredibly helpful in guiding us through negotiations. We would highly recommend Jody to anyone who is in the market to buy or sell a home in the Asheville area." ~ Kelly D.

“Madison helped me tweak my opinion of Real Estate Agents because she listened to what I said I needed and found properties that fit my list and budget! Even when I withdrew an offer on a property, Madison said she wanted me to make sure I loved the home I purchased and she would keep working with me to find what I needed. Fast forward a few months: I am living in a home that really supports my family in a beautiful lake community that I didn’t even know existed until she took us for a showing. I was highly impressed by her integrity, knowledge of Asheville and the surrounding [...]

~ Ann P

"Lorraine is the greatest!!! We live in upstate NY and plan to relocate to the Asheville, NC area. Lorraine is making the relocation process go so smoothly. Before meeting her in person we communicated via email, phone and text. Once we arrived in Asheville, Lorraine spent 2 days taking us around the area showing us houses. We are so lucky to have found Lorraine and highly recommend her to anyone looking for a real estate agent who is extremely knowledgeable, goes the extra mile and is very personable."

"Highly experienced, good communication."

"Lorraine was great to work with. She is a good listener and has the ability to handle all the little challenges that typically come up during the purchase of a house. She helped make the negotiation as stress free as possible. Will definitely be using her to sell our other house in a few months." ~ Jim T.

"Steve Heiselman was easy to work with, very professional, with an excellent knowledge of the Asheville and Buncombe County real estate market. He was also very accessible usually answering his phone and returning calls in a timely manner. He made it very clear from the first time we met that he wanted to earn our business and he was prepared to provide the highest level of service possible. Steve was a pleasure to work with and I do not hesitate to recommend him highly!" ~ Steve and Nan K.

"Jody did a fantastic job selling our house. In a down market, our house sold on day one. Jody produced a professional and flattering flier on our home. He was prepared to throw a party for o ther realtors in our home for publicity, though it wasn’t necessary. Jody is a great people person, is creative, a hard worker and takes a fresh approach which makes him and his clients stand out from the crowd. He gets results. I would use him again if I bought or sold in Asheville." ~Brady R.

"I contacted Lorraine to ask for assistance in buying a home in Asheville. We are planning to relocate there from Wisconsin, so based on a recommendation we chose Lorraine. I knew immediately from our first conversation that we had made the perfect choice. She was given only a couple of days advance notice that I would be down the following Monday to begin my active search for homes. She made the time to spend 2 full days showing me asheville and helping me to become more familiar with the area. Following our initial talk on the phone, she went to work right away for us. She [...]

"Kat was very thorough, helpful, and a real pleasure to work with. She made the whole experience a lot smoother and less stressful. We truly enjoyed working with her."

"Jody did a great job! Good communicator. Brought us a good buyer - hassle free transaction." ~Larry and Mary

"Steve Heiselman was always available for me by phone or in person. That's a real good experience."

"Gretchen was great to work with. She is knowledgable about all aspects of real eatate and the local area. When we needed someone in our corner to negotiate and challenge, she did so professionally and respectfully getting the desired results. As out of town buyers, she made the whole process seem less for us. A great partner that we highly recommend." ~ John and Monique

"Jody was very efficient at selling our house in Okley, Jody got us almost 10% over asking price. I would highly recommend him as a sellers agent." ~Alex B.

"Aviva is a committed and dedicated Realtor who has the ability to quickly learn client needs, negotiate masterfully, and partners well to ensure her clients are well informed and taken care of. Highly recommended." ~ ZA

"Working with Leah to purchase our first home was a great experience! She was very knowledgeable, was quick to return calls and emails, and set up showings. Not only did she listen to our needs but showed us options we may not of thought of and was very respectful of our price range. She is professional, hard working, and we would highly recommend working with Leah and the Mike Miller Team at Town and Mountain Realty to purchase a home. It was a really great experience!"

"Hilary was always available to show us homes and to answer any questions we had. She was very patient with us in our search until we were able to find the perfect home! She went above and beyond with her knowledge and professionalism. Thanks for everything!"

"Leah has been an amazing realtor to work with, both professionally and personally. It was a true pleasure to work with her at every step of this very big life transition. I was out of state when I p ut my house on the market, and she was my lifeline for staging and facilitating all aspects of the selling process. Leah made herself fully available above and beyond standard expectations, accommodating our four hour time difference and being my point person for the on-site wrap up that I couldn't be present for. Considering that I called Town and Mountain Realty based on a Google search, and [...]

"We had a great experience selling our house with Jody every step of the way. He provided thorough explanations, solid advice on repairs and pricing, and quick responses to any questions. Jody helped us set a price that was competitive but attractive enough to generate a lot of viewings immediately. As a result, we ended up getting well above asking price in only 48 hours! He was excellent at helping us to prioritize multiple offers and took care of all of the pre-closing tasks so we could concentrate on our move. Cannot recommend Jody highly enough!" ~Melissa B.